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Finalists for the upcoming Women in Industry Awards have been revealed.

They were chosen for demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact across their fields. From engineering and manufacturing to mining, logistics, and beyond, this year’s finalists represent what’s possible when talent, tenacity and passion meet. 

The 2025 finalists are: 

Excellence in Engineering 

Stacey Daniel, Board Presence 
Dr Nisa Salim, Smart Materials Lab 
Ruirui Qiao, The University of Queensland 
Cassandra Hodges, Inland Rail 
Yvette Griggs, Alstom 

Excellence in Manufacturing 

​Kate Baker, Visy
Pamela Jabbour, Total Image Group
Zhixin Liu, JA solar Technology
Melanie Flintoft, Silver Fleece 
Naomi Elliott, Concept Labs

​Excellence in Energy  

Rachel Cain, Consolidated Power Projects 
Laura Caspari, ENGIE ANZ 
Suzanne Shipp, APA Group
Erin van Maanen, Hydro Tasmania
Zoe Devos, Ampol

Excellence in Construction 

Kate Blizzard, TasWater
Jo Farrell, Kane Construction 
Sharon Pearce, The Crane Industry Council of Australia 
Charlotte Maker, Central Coast Council
Isolde Piet, Suburban Connect 

Excellence in Transport 

Kirryn Crossman, SMEC 
Sally-Ann Eather, Transport Women Australia Limited 
Sue Tomic, Chain Consulting Services 
Kelly Crossley, Transitrainer WA 
Alex Payne-Billard, Atkins Realis 

Excellence in Mining 

Amanda Mitchell, Outliers Mining Solutions
Brooke Adamson, Newmont 
Becky May Felstead, Strong Minds, Strong Mines 
Leanne Brock, AMETS
Lisa Gibbons, Southern Cross Gold Consolidated 
Safety Advocacy Award

​Mentor of the Year  

Tracy Adams, Fulton Hogan 
Tash Fee, Clough 
Gretchen Gagel, Women Thriving in Construction: A Global Institute 
Louise Azzopardi, TRANSPORT WOMEN AUSTRALIA LIMITED 
Lindsey Brown, GHD

Rising Star of the Year 

Natalie Chandra, Epic Environmental 
Aiyana Roberts, Alstom
Jennifer Clements, Consultex
Teigan Baker, Busways
Olivia Salamone, Knox City Council 

Business Development Success of the Year 

Tammy O’Connor, KingKira Group
Abby Crawford, Australian Power Equipment 
Rebecca Manley, Stanwell Asset Maintenance Company
Jodie Dean, The Landscape Association
Georgia O’Connor, Marvel Engineers

Safety Advocacy Award 

Joanne Edwards, Busways
Samantha Novak, NW People Group 
Pip O’Donnell, Essential Energy 
Mandeep Singh, Ego Pharmaceuticals
Yameena Cossins, Optiscan

Industry Advocacy Award 

Eileen Breen, NTEX 
Karlie Zec, Tiny Tins 
Cherie Ellis, Fulton Hogan 
Lauren Goodheart, Cleanaway Waste Management 
Stefanie Nutt, M7-M12 Integration project 

Winners will be announced at a special gala event on June 19 at The Carousel, Melbourne.

Tickets can be purchased here.  

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A new red-light speed camera has been installed at this notorious Sydney intersection, which has been the site of many crashes in recent years.

The new camera is located at the intersection of Elizabeth Drive and Maxwells Avenue in Ashcroft.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) Executive Director Road Safety Regulation, Duncan Lucas, said the new camera will target red-light running and speeding from June 10 to improve road safety.

“We know that running red lights can lead to serious T-bone crashes or vehicles hitting pedestrians,” Lucas said.

“About 40 per cent of red-light speed camera offences are from people running red lights so we are addressing this problem head-on.”

Between 2019 to 2023, this intersection saw 17 crashes – with 14 people injured, seven seriously.

“Road crashes claimed the lives of 332 people on NSW roads last year with speed the biggest killer. This red-light speed camera will help to reduce risk in Ashcroft,” Lucas added.

“The most recent speed camera review found fatal and serious injury crashes fell by 35 per cent at red-light speed camera locations, and pedestrian casualties fell by almost 59 per cent.”

TfNSW says the new camera will operate in warning mode for one month during which time drivers caught speeding or running red lights will be sent a warning letter to encourage them to change their behaviour.

Fines and demerit points will be sent to offending drivers at the end of this period.

Fines from red-light speed cameras will go directly into the Community Road Safety Fund, which aims to deliver targeted road safety initiatives in NSW.

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Transport and Main Roads Queensland (TMR) has begun preliminary works to reconfigure the Mount Crosby Road Overpass and reopen a southbound lane to traffic under load and speed restrictions.

This follows an incident on Friday, May 16, at 1.34am, where an oversize, overmass

(OSOM) vehicle carrying a wind turbine section was travelling along the Warrego Highway at North Tivoli and crashed into Mount Crosby Road Overpass.

Though the overpass was reopened some days later on Tuesday, May 20, following structural assessments by TMR, travel restrictions have remained in place – including a30-tonne vehicle weight limit (with exemptions for fire trucks), a 20km/h speed restriction, and physical traffic control measures to manage a single-lane operation for travel in the northbound direction only.

TMR says night works will take place between the hours of 8pm to 5am, over the next four weeks as it works to reopen the southbound lane.

These works will include demolishing the western footpath, adjusting guardrails, widening the road to create a traffic lane and removing electrical cabling.

During work hours, the northbound lane of the overpass will be closed, with detours in place. Northbound traffic can use Pine Mountain Road, rejoining via the Warrego Hwy eastbound off-ramp. While for southbound traffic, the detour via River Road remains in place.

“We know this closure is challenging for the community, especially those north of the Warrego Highway,” said TMR. “Our teams are working hard to restore this critical connection safely and efficiently.”

Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the OSOM incident are continuing.

Following the incident, Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the truck had a permit that required it to leave the highway via a roundabout. “The escort took that trip, but the truck did not,” Mickelberg said.

“There will be an investigation from the Queensland Police Service and my department. Pending that investigation, we will take action as appropriate.”

The wind turbine tower section was being transported to Wambo Wind Farm.

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Though plenty of rain threatened to derail plans for the Team Shoalhaven BBR Inc 2025 Truck Show at Nowra Speedway in New South Wales, visitors were treated to a spectacular event.

Held on Sunday May 25, the event included plenty to see and do, with 15 trophies presented to stand-out rigs. It set out to raise money for Beyond Blue and managed to raise a total of $9000 for the mental health charity.

Show organiser Ian ‘Pig’ Usher recently received the Peter Murphy Memorial Trophy at the Beyond Bitumen Rally. Image: Ian Usher

As show organiser and former interstate truckie Ian ‘Pig’ Usher told Big Rigs, Beyond Blue is a charity close to his heart. He tragically lost his son to suicide a few years ago at the age of just 29.

Pig has been involved in organising truck shows for the past 26 years, with the recent Nowra truck show being the first event he’s put together through his own corporation.

“I was an interstate truckie for many years. I had car transporters and tow trucks and had 19 drivers. I sold all my trucks when I lost my son and I retired. I’ve been involved in raising money for charities since 1992,” explained Pig.

The first Nowra Truck Show in 1992 raised $15,000 in a single day. “We kept that going for three years, donating the money raised to Shoalhaven Hospital. Then we formed the Shoalhaven Spring Festival Parade, then we started the first Shoalhaven District Hospital Bed Race and that ran for a few years. We also started up a car show at Nowra Speedway about 20 years ago.”

Pig has been recognised on numerous occasions for his charity work, much of which has revolved around his participation in car rallies.

Over the past three decades, he’s been involved in raising an estimated $1 million for various causes. He has also been nominated for various volunteering awards for his incredible efforts.

He was nominated as a volunteer of the year for the Shoalhaven region in 2018, received a Senior Citizen Achievement Award in 2024, and most recently was honoured with the 2024 Peter Murphy Memorial Trophy at the Beyond Bitumen Rally, which raises money for men’s mental health through Beyond Blue.

Best Paint Work went to this Kiwik Cartage Mack Trident. Image: Hotcard Photography

Pig’s most recent fundraising effort – the Team Shoalhaven BBR Inc 2025 Truck Show or Nowra Truck Show as it’s also known – further adds to his exceptional fundraising tally.

As Pig explained, the wet weather meant there had to be some changes to the original plans.

“There was a lot of rain Monday through to Friday, there was even light rain on Saturday morning, so owing to the wet condition of the Speedway grounds, we couldn’t put any trucks on any grassed areas, so we had to draw up a plan B on Saturday morning and reconfigure the set up for the trucks on a hard surface, even onto the Speedway car park, but we managed to enter all trucks in for the show,” he said.

This Kerden Haulage International D1910 won the Best Overall Award. Image: Hotcard Photography

The weekend began with a barbeque on the Saturday night provided by Shane Morton from The Bearded Fishermen’s men’s mental support group – there was also entertainment provided by local country singers Jane Dee and Sean Lucas.

Numerous truckies gathered around the fire pit to enjoy great food, a beer and catch up other truckies. “It was a great atmosphere for everyone there,” said Pig.

Then on the Sunday, it was show day, with the gates opened to the public at 9am.

There were 66 trucks on display, including nine trucks from local transport company Schumann Transport, six trucks from Kiwik Cartage, five trucks from National Transport & Distribution (NTD), five trucks from J.D Interstate Transport, four from Bratan Engineering, two from Eziway Concrete (including their Butterfly Truck supporting ant-bullying charity Dolly’s Dream), and numerous single truck entries.

Eziway Concrete’s Butterfly Truck was at the event, spreading the message for anti-bullying charity Dolly’s Dream. Image: Eziway Concrete

Trucks travelled from as far north as Wollongong and as far south as Ulladulla.

“A special mention must go to Brayden Betts from Bratan Engineering as he picked up his new Kenworth T909 from Brisbane, drove it all night and arrived in Nowra at 6am on the Sunday morning. He washed the truck and got it into the show by 9am,” revealed Pig.

The 15 trophies presented on the day were sponsored by Danny Sheen from Royan’s Transport Accident Repairs.

Truck of the show went to Dennis & Kerry Radburn at Kerden Haulage, for their International D1910. It was presented with the Shannon’s Insurance Best Overall Award. While the People’s Choice Award went to Kranworx Crane Trucks’ Iveco Stralis.

In the Best Historic (1931 up to 30 years) category, this White 9000 from Hitchcock Haulage took the prize. Image: Hotcard Photography

Among the highlights of the day were a demonstration from Billy Koellner with his B-double log truck, and a chain saw timber carving demonstration from Phill Cassells from The Pioneer Timber Cutters & Vintage Vehicle Club from Penrith, who carved several truck name signs on timber slabs, then donated them for the afternoon auction.

There was also plenty of food and kids’ entertainment including a jumping castle.

Nowra Truck Show awards

Best Kenworth: National Transport Distribution Kenworth T610 – Kyle Harrison

Best Western Star: Schumann Transport Western Star X Series – Jason Schumann

Best Other Model: Kiwik Cartage Mack – Brian Kiwik

Best Prime Mover Highway Work: J.D Interstate Transport Kenworth Legend SAR – Jasper Dunn

Best Prime Mover Local Work: RW & SJ Monteith Transport Iveco Prostar – Ross & Sandy Monteith

Best Paint Work: Kiwik Cartage Mack Trident – Brian Kiwik

Best Rigid: Kiwik Cartage Volvo – Brian Kiwik

Best Tipper: Eziway Concrete Kenworth T909 – Matt Lynch

Best Vintage (1919-1930): Austin – Paul

Best Historic (1931 up to 30 years): Hitchcock Haulage White 9000 – Jim Hitchcock

Best Art Work: Ross Freight Kenworth W900SAR – Allen Ross

Best Presented Truck: Bratan Engineering Kenworth T909 – Braden & Tanya Betts

Best Local Work Prime Mover: RW&SJ Monteith Iveco Prostar – Ross & Sandy Monteith

People’s Choice (Best Overall): Kranworx Crane Trucks Iveco Stratis – Ben

Encouragement Award: Bratan Engineering – Braden & Tanya Betts

Shannon’s Insurance Best Overall: Kerden Haulage International D1910 – Dennis & Kerry Radburn

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